From the point of view of safety, brakes are a very vital component of car. Most brake problems develop gradually and can be detected before they become serious by inspecting the system.

* A soft or mushy brake pedal indicates that you may be low on brake fluid.
* Sometimes, the brake pedal goes all the way down. This happens when the rear brake lining is wearing.
* If the brakes squeak on pressing then either the brake pads need to be changed or the brakes need to be cleaned.
* If the brake fluid level is low the system indicates a warning by glowing the brake light. Fill the brake fluid immediately.
* If the brakes pull the car to one side then either the brake clearance need to be adjusted or there is insufficient hydraulic pressure in one part of the brake system.

Hand Brakes
They should be applied only when the clutch is pressed or the car is on the neutral. This exercise will not tax the clutch system. While having the general check up of brake system, look for blunt notches of the hand brake and see if its cable requires replacement in case the brakes are not effective.